Shooting anecdotes, notes of intent, information for film lovers: every week, discover behind the scenes of cinema releases.
black adam by Jaume Collet-Serra
With Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Pierce Brosnan…
What is it about ? Nearly five millennia after receiving superpowers from the ancient gods – and being imprisoned in the process – Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to wield his own justice in the modern world…
Did you know ? In addition to playing Black Adam, Dwayne Johnson produces the feature film through his company Seven Bucks. The actor, who interprets for the first time a superhero, grew up with the comics dedicated to the character.
“I’m drawn to Black Adam because he’s one of the few superheroes, or super-villains and anti-heroes – depending on how you view him – who was dark-skinned and looked like me. Besides, he was really badass”. It took him ten years for the project to materialize.
The New Toy by James Huth
With Jamel Debbouze, Daniel Auteuil, Simon Faliu…
What is it about ? Sami lives happily in a suburban estate, among his friends, neighbors and his wife Alice. For his son’s birthday, the richest man in France opens the department store that belongs to him. Alexandre chooses Sami, the night watchman, as his new toy…
Did you know ? The New Toy is a reinterpretation of Francis Veber’s Toy, released in 1976 with Pierre Richard. It was producer Richard Grandpierre who proposed the project to James Huth. The latter was perplexed by this offer before seeing the original film again.
“I then understood that there was another point of view to offer on this subject. Francis Veber’s Toy is in my eyes his strongest and craziest film. I realized that the themes of film, already relevant at the time, were even more so today: the social divide, the child-king and the question of whether money can do everything.
EO by Jerzy Skolimowski
With Sandra Drzymalska, Tomasz Organek, Mateusz Kosciukiewicz…
What is it about ? The world is a mysterious place, especially seen through the eyes of an animal. On his way, EO, a gray donkey with melancholy eyes, meets good people and bad people and experiences joy and sorrow, but never, at any moment, does he lose his innocence.
Did you know ? Several decades ago, Jerzy Skolimowski said in an interview with Cahiers du Cinéma that the only film that moved him to tears was Au random Balthazar (1966). The famous Polish director recalls:
“I think I discovered it just after its release. Since then, I haven’t shed a single tear in the cinema. Thus, I owe Robert Bresson to have acquired the conviction that to make an animal into a film character is not only possible, but also a great source of emotions.”
NMR by Cristian Mungi
With Marin Grigore, Judith State, Macrina Bârlădeanu…
What is it about ? A few days before Christmas, Matthias is back in his native, multi-ethnic village in Transylvania, after quitting his job in Germany. When the factory that his ex-girlfriend runs decides to recruit foreign employees, the peace of the small community is disturbed.
Did you know ? RMN takes place in Transylvania, a famous region of Romania, in a small multi-ethnic village, shortly before the covid-19 pandemic (between Christmas 2019 and the beginning of 2020). Cristian Mungiu explains why he chose to set the plot of his new film there:
“With so many ethnicities, Transylvania became the favorite playground for populist or nationalist movements of all kinds. In the 1990s, violent tensions erupted, causing several casualties. Then things calmed down.”
Takeover by Gilles Perret
With Pierre Deladonchamps, Laetitia Dosch, Grégory Montel…
What is it about ? Like his father before him, Cédric works in a precision mechanics company in Haute-Savoie. The factory must be sold again to an investment fund. Exhausted from having to depend on cynical speculators, Cédric and his childhood friends attempt the impossible: buy the factory by pretending to be financiers!
Belle and Sébastien: New generation by Pierre Core
With Michèle Laroque, Robinson Mensah-Rouanet, Alice David…
What is it about ? 10-year-old Sébastien reluctantly spends his holidays in the mountains with his grandmother and aunt. He has to lend a hand at the sheepfold, nothing very exciting for a city boy like him… But that’s without counting on his encounter with Belle, a huge dog mistreated by her master.
Did you know ? After L’Aventure des Marguerite (2020), Pierre Coré wanted to continue his collaboration with Radar Films. Producer Clément Miserez then submitted this idea to him to make a reboot of Belle and Sébastien by transposing the plot to the current era and reinventing the characters. Seduced by the project, the director wrote a screenplay with Alexandre Coffre.
The Pharaoh, the Savage and the Princess by Michel Ocelot
With Oscar Lesage, Claire de La Rüe du Can, Aïssa Maïga…
What is it about ? 3 tales, 3 eras, 3 universes: an epic from ancient Egypt, a medieval legend from Auvergne, an 18th century fantasy in Ottoman costumes and Turkish palaces, to be swept away by contrasting dreams.
Did you know ? Michel Ocelot took six years to shoot Dilili in Paris (2018), like most of his previous feature films. The director then wanted to devote himself to a lighter project. He had noted years ago a tale collected by Henri Pourrat, Le Conte du Beau Sauvage:
“I kept more of the beautiful original tale than I usually do. Then I leafed through another collection, stories from Morocco. In one tale, which dealt with something completely different, I noted the a young girl’s declared interest in a handsome donut seller, a reminder of stories from the Arabian Nights.”
Bros by Nicholas Stoler
With Billy Eichner, Luke MacFarlane, TS Madison…
What is it about ? The story of two men whose relationship could, perhaps, turn into a great love story. Maybe. It must be said that they are very busy men.
Did you know ? Bros is the first romantic comedy about two gay men produced by a major, as well as the first studio film in history to have all the main roles played by LGBTQ+ actors. A bias also evoked during an appointment between the character of Bobby and the boy he likes, Aaron, shortly after their meeting.
From Equal to Equal – Auf Augenhöhe by Evi Goldbrunner, Joachim Dollhopf
With Jordan Prentice, Luis Vorbach, Ella Frey…
What is it about ? Michi, 10, lives in a children’s home. A letter found by chance having belonged to his missing mother allows him to find the trace of his father whom he dreamed of strong and protective. The reality he finds himself confronted with overwhelms him.
Yuku and the Himalayan Flower by Arnaud Demuynck, Rémi Durin
With Lily Demuynck-Deydier, Agnès Jaoui, Arno…
What is it about ? On top of the highest mountains on earth lives a plant that feeds on the most perfect light of the sun. It’s called… The Flower of the Himalayas. Yuku leaves her family to go in search of this flower with eternal light. She wants to give it to her grandmother who has announced that she will soon have to leave with the little blind mole in the meanders of the earth.